The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-04-02

| awful GTuG0.
The spirit that has no time to spend
on dead pagans might, perhaps, feel a
thrill of joy, singing
Awake, and mourn We heirs of hell
Let stubborn sinners fear;
You must be driven from earth and dwell
long forever there.
''See how the pit gapes wide for you
And flashes in your face
And thou, my soul, look downward too
And sing recov ring grace.
HE is God of SOW reign love
Who promised heaven to me,
And taught my thoughts to soar above,
Where happy spirits be-
Reprobation and discriminating grace
stand out prominently in the above,
strong enough to suit an elder of the
church John Calvin founded, who still
sticks to the form Of "sound words"
But there are few, indeed, who looking
down into flashing pitt would feel
like singing there. Human tenderness
here would forbid it, but safely housed
in heaven, a celestial stupefaction will
have come over our earthly susceptible
ties, so that what caused sorrow, will
there cause exultation that we are all
right.
The prevalence of Arminianism has
shut down on some hymns as too boldly
expressing Divine knowledge and man
agement as to human destiny.
Before his throne a volume lies
With all the fates of men,
With every angels form and size
Drawn by the eternal pen.'
was once quite favorite when sound
doctrine as to Gods sovereignty pos
sessed the religious mind. Itnow finds
little room in our present books of
praise. The sentiment might find
place in Universalist hymn book.
God says "ali souls are mine,' and as
he knows all that are his, and is as will
ing and as able to keep. them, their des-
tiny is in good keeping.
|
driven distinct Calvinism out of the
hymn book and the pulpit, it is destin-
ed in its turn TO live out it's day. Christ
ianity cannot afford to give up its cer-
tainity in God. 1t is hard to see what
! advantage Arminianism has over Cal
vinism or to see how it saves more.
The latter has certainty; the former
an uncertainty. The one says who
soever will may come, and yet holds
'ttf1at urtcsd zr1iissfffi5ns never viii, and
further says, that many that do come
| will go back and be lost. To enthrone
the human, Arminianism dethrones
the divine will, subjecting it to the
necessity of unwillingly allowing the
damnation of countless myriads of
failing in motive power for some, while
there is a sufliciency for others, thus
indicating an imperfection in his gen.
eral plan, which impugns his wisdom,
in that he could not see through the
eternal ages so as to adapt motive
power equal to the moral obstruction
to be overcome; so that will to save
all should not be frustrated. As in the
material world for the perfecting of it,
one formation has been superinduced
upon another, so in theologie thought
Calvinism and Arminianism will be
superinduced by combination of what
is partially true in both, posting the
will of man as vincible, ard the will of
| God invincible, and so rejecting honor
on the Father and inspring safety to
the child. And to bring this about is
not the gospel muse, in its hymnology,
one of the most efficient workers? The
gospel muse, haunts not the weird and
desolate scenery along the Stygian
pools. Hope is her constant song, and
although heartless theology compelled
her to sometimes dip her young pinions
in the dark waters of Styx, the Elysian
fields and the river of life, where every
prospect pleases, are now where she de-
lights to wave her golden wings.
There is no surer in dication of the
passing away of God-dishonoring dog
mas than is seen in the hymn-book of
the present day. Few indeed are the
hymns in any but that Universalist
can use in public worship. Egangeli-
Gals, who still cling to the hell of the
past with its fiery billows, think the
subject is not one for song. Atrophy
will do its work, and when we have
sung few more years that the last one
is safely housed with the ninety and
nine, and of Christ crowned Lord of
ALL" the gospel muse for awhile may
rest and plume her wings for other
flights.
TIN mr. or nn.Tn.